Disclaimer: The Witchblade Movie, Series, Comics, and characters belong to Top Cow Productions. I own nothing but the idea here.
Once more, thanks for your reviews, people! I live and write for them. Feeds the ego, inspires the mind. Hehe. ^_^ So, here's a new one for all those out there. This should be wrapped up soon - as other fics seem to be - but I already have another in mind. ...And to those who asked, Hong Kong was great. ^_^ Shopping...good food... But, it's good to be back, too. Can't be separated from my computer for too long. ^_^
Immortal Beloved
Chapter 9
Sara followed the man down the corridor to an immense room. Shelves towered above her filled with dusty tomes, gilt-designed hardbounds, and crisp paperbacks. A few were scattered on the floor. It didn't seem to be the norm from the frown on her escort's face. There were blanks in the wooden shelves as well. She went on after him as he walked past the chaos towards the French windows that opened out to the lawn. Careful not to touch anything, she made note of every tiny detail.
It was strange. The culprit's capability to rob Irons' fortress did not match with the mess he'd left behind. Such a crime took time and effort and it would be a carefully set heist, not a rush job such as this. He would have known what he was after, taken it, and left. So, why was it...
Staged.
Of course. It would be just like Irons to fake a rare book robbery to hide another...a more costly one that he couldn't report. But, what could be stolen that he didn't want known...contraband? That didn't seem Irons' style.
Then, the Blade stepped in.
~
Ian separated before her eyes.
One remained by the window with one of Irons' security detail. The other walked to her and beckoned. It went to a tall shelf and pressed a book into the shelf. The entire section opened inwards to reveal a set of steps.
She followed him.
A lab. Sterile. The stench of disinfectant. Cold tiles. Steel tables. Tubes. Vials. Bottles. Neat labels. Bunsen burners. Syringes. Scalpels.
A soft splash.
She looked down. A trail of water. Drops scattered on the tiles. She bent to touch. Cold.
A whisper.
She stood. She was alone now. Another whisper. She had to follow the water. Find the truth.
She followed.
A curtain. She raised a hand to part it. Then, she saw. A bare steel slab. Wet...and cold.
Ice...thawed...
"Sara..."
She turned around.
Elizabeth.
"He loves me. But, his mind is misled. He increases his time here in search of a fountain of youth. I am a temporary solution. And that's ironic. All he has done...it's to find -you-...to revive -me-."
The apparition reached out to touch her and she was flooded with the other's memories of him...the atrocities he committed to her...
Then, the touch left her and she was alone once more. She fell to the floor and resisted the desire to retch. She'd always known Irons was a monster, but to know what he'd done to the woman he loved for that -same- woman...
"And there is another," the voice continued in her head. "He is the one you want. He watched as I died. He loved me. He has searched for me all this time. He has me now. But, it is not finished. He will not stop until Irons is dead."
"What's the problem with that?"
"He is one who will not die. It will be finished, but his taste for death will not. You see...immortality tends to turn death into an escape. It will eat at him and he shall start to prey on others once more. Only Irons can stop him."
"You mean...defeat the greater evil with the lesser."
"It is the only way. Kenneth's own time will come. Until then, stay strong, Sara...and learn to trust in others. There is someone who cares for you and he is closer than you realize."
~
"Lady Sara..."
She gasped as she snapped out of the vision. When she looked up, she met the concerned eyes of her stalker. Only when he hesitantly reached out to her did she realize how close he was. Suddenly uncomfortable, she stepped away from him. As she did, relief hit her at the same time a tinge of guilt did. He could not hide the hurt that flashed in his eyes, so he turned from her.
"I'm sorry," she muttered to him. "You were saying something?"
"...The intruders entered via the French windows."
"Shouldn't an alarm have sounded? What about security cameras?"
"Yes, an alarm should have sounded." The man frowned. "We don't know why it didn't. And the security cameras showed no entry or exit."
"Fantastic. An invisible immortal," she cursed under her breath.
"What did you say?"
She shook her head and turned from him.
"Is Irons still in his study?"
"Yes, he is."
"Then, I want to see him now."
She turned on her heel and left the library with her stalker a mere step behind. She found Irons where she'd left him. A scrawled list sat in front on him as he stared morosely into his lit hearth. He looked like a man who'd lost his most prized possession - which he had. But, Sara felt no pity for him. This man didn't deserve it. Elizabeth had called him misled. Well, she could say that. After all, he had loved her in his own twisted way. But, this monster...
"Lost your consort, hn?" She remarked sarcastically.
His head snapped up.
"What...what are you saying?" He actually stuttered.
"It seems someone has stolen your Rapunzel, Irons."
"Where is she?" He rose to his feet and hissed at her.
"I don't know," she coldly replied.
"Then, how did you know that she - " He scowled at Ian.
"Not him. The Blade told me. Didn't you eavesdrop?"
She raised an eyebrow as he paled and clutched his hand.
It was obvious he hadn't.
"Hn. Lost your touch, huh?" She smirked. Then, she became serious. "...I hate you. But, only you can handle this. So...do you know an immortal or two?"
Ian's eyes widened.
Gotcha.
Once more, thanks for your reviews, people! I live and write for them. Feeds the ego, inspires the mind. Hehe. ^_^ So, here's a new one for all those out there. This should be wrapped up soon - as other fics seem to be - but I already have another in mind. ...And to those who asked, Hong Kong was great. ^_^ Shopping...good food... But, it's good to be back, too. Can't be separated from my computer for too long. ^_^
Immortal Beloved
Chapter 9
Sara followed the man down the corridor to an immense room. Shelves towered above her filled with dusty tomes, gilt-designed hardbounds, and crisp paperbacks. A few were scattered on the floor. It didn't seem to be the norm from the frown on her escort's face. There were blanks in the wooden shelves as well. She went on after him as he walked past the chaos towards the French windows that opened out to the lawn. Careful not to touch anything, she made note of every tiny detail.
It was strange. The culprit's capability to rob Irons' fortress did not match with the mess he'd left behind. Such a crime took time and effort and it would be a carefully set heist, not a rush job such as this. He would have known what he was after, taken it, and left. So, why was it...
Staged.
Of course. It would be just like Irons to fake a rare book robbery to hide another...a more costly one that he couldn't report. But, what could be stolen that he didn't want known...contraband? That didn't seem Irons' style.
Then, the Blade stepped in.
~
Ian separated before her eyes.
One remained by the window with one of Irons' security detail. The other walked to her and beckoned. It went to a tall shelf and pressed a book into the shelf. The entire section opened inwards to reveal a set of steps.
She followed him.
A lab. Sterile. The stench of disinfectant. Cold tiles. Steel tables. Tubes. Vials. Bottles. Neat labels. Bunsen burners. Syringes. Scalpels.
A soft splash.
She looked down. A trail of water. Drops scattered on the tiles. She bent to touch. Cold.
A whisper.
She stood. She was alone now. Another whisper. She had to follow the water. Find the truth.
She followed.
A curtain. She raised a hand to part it. Then, she saw. A bare steel slab. Wet...and cold.
Ice...thawed...
"Sara..."
She turned around.
Elizabeth.
"He loves me. But, his mind is misled. He increases his time here in search of a fountain of youth. I am a temporary solution. And that's ironic. All he has done...it's to find -you-...to revive -me-."
The apparition reached out to touch her and she was flooded with the other's memories of him...the atrocities he committed to her...
Then, the touch left her and she was alone once more. She fell to the floor and resisted the desire to retch. She'd always known Irons was a monster, but to know what he'd done to the woman he loved for that -same- woman...
"And there is another," the voice continued in her head. "He is the one you want. He watched as I died. He loved me. He has searched for me all this time. He has me now. But, it is not finished. He will not stop until Irons is dead."
"What's the problem with that?"
"He is one who will not die. It will be finished, but his taste for death will not. You see...immortality tends to turn death into an escape. It will eat at him and he shall start to prey on others once more. Only Irons can stop him."
"You mean...defeat the greater evil with the lesser."
"It is the only way. Kenneth's own time will come. Until then, stay strong, Sara...and learn to trust in others. There is someone who cares for you and he is closer than you realize."
~
"Lady Sara..."
She gasped as she snapped out of the vision. When she looked up, she met the concerned eyes of her stalker. Only when he hesitantly reached out to her did she realize how close he was. Suddenly uncomfortable, she stepped away from him. As she did, relief hit her at the same time a tinge of guilt did. He could not hide the hurt that flashed in his eyes, so he turned from her.
"I'm sorry," she muttered to him. "You were saying something?"
"...The intruders entered via the French windows."
"Shouldn't an alarm have sounded? What about security cameras?"
"Yes, an alarm should have sounded." The man frowned. "We don't know why it didn't. And the security cameras showed no entry or exit."
"Fantastic. An invisible immortal," she cursed under her breath.
"What did you say?"
She shook her head and turned from him.
"Is Irons still in his study?"
"Yes, he is."
"Then, I want to see him now."
She turned on her heel and left the library with her stalker a mere step behind. She found Irons where she'd left him. A scrawled list sat in front on him as he stared morosely into his lit hearth. He looked like a man who'd lost his most prized possession - which he had. But, Sara felt no pity for him. This man didn't deserve it. Elizabeth had called him misled. Well, she could say that. After all, he had loved her in his own twisted way. But, this monster...
"Lost your consort, hn?" She remarked sarcastically.
His head snapped up.
"What...what are you saying?" He actually stuttered.
"It seems someone has stolen your Rapunzel, Irons."
"Where is she?" He rose to his feet and hissed at her.
"I don't know," she coldly replied.
"Then, how did you know that she - " He scowled at Ian.
"Not him. The Blade told me. Didn't you eavesdrop?"
She raised an eyebrow as he paled and clutched his hand.
It was obvious he hadn't.
"Hn. Lost your touch, huh?" She smirked. Then, she became serious. "...I hate you. But, only you can handle this. So...do you know an immortal or two?"
Ian's eyes widened.
Gotcha.